International airport

Indonesia Shuts Down Bali Airport After Volcano Erupts At Mount Agung!

AirWhizzJun 29, 2018 No Comments

Indonesia Shuts Down Bali Airport After Volcano Erupts At Mount Agung!

Aviation Insider

The Indonesian government has shut down Bali’s international airport after a Volcanic eruption on Thursday evening.

Here are all the details about the incident –

  • Mount Agung, a popular tourist destination in Bali, erupted last night sending volcanic ashes several miles high into the sky.
  • Almost 450 flights have been cancelled, which include 207 international flights.
  • It is estimated that 75000 air travellers have been affected by this incident.
  • Domestic airports at Banyuwangi and Jember in Java have also been closed down.
  • Airlines such as PT Garuda, Singapore Airlines and Qantas Airways have cancelled all their flights to and from Bali.
  • AirAsia Indonesia has cancelled at least 50 flights.

The Airport was shut down at 3:00 a.m. local time, and authorities will review the closing at 12:00 p.m. today, after taking into account the latest volcanic ash distribution data.

Indonesian authorities have closed down the Ngurah Rai International Airport, in Bali, for the second time in seven months due to volcanic activity in the region.

Mt. Agung, which is about 70 kilometres northeast of Bali’s tourist hotspot, Kuta, last had a major eruption in the year 1963, taking the lives of about 1,100 people.

National disaster agencies had issued a ‘High Alert’ after increased volcanic activity at the mountain in 2017,causing thousands of people to evacuate nearby cities. However, things became normal by February 2018 and authorities lowered the alert status.

Indonesia is located in the Pacific’s “Ring Of Fire” region which is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. There are almost 120 active volcanos in the region which is monitored by government and other seismologic agencies.

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Everything You Need To Know About The Bangalore Airport!

AirWhizzJun 25, 2018 No Comments

Everything You Need To Know About The Bangalore Airport!

Aviation Insider

Since its inauguration in 2008, Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport(KIA) has made travel easy for passengers passing through the city.

With its efficiency and infrastructure quality, KIA has become one of the best airports in India and a recognised name globally.

Yet, many of us are unaware of the years of dedication and planning that has gone in making this modern marvel.

So, let’s take a look at this airport’s journey and what it has achieved over the years.

History

Bangalore’s main airport till 2008 was the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) airport, which was built in 1942.

During early 2000’s ,as Bangalore grew into the ‘Silicon Valley’ of India and the air passenger traffic continued to increase, HAL airport traffic started rising at the rate of roughly 35% per year.

In fact, between 2006-2007 the airport received 8.2 million passengers, well above its capacity of 3.6 million. Airport authorities had predicted that they would have to face such a situation in the future and were well prepared for it.

In 1999, Airports Authority Of India(AAI) and the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) signed a Memorandum Of Understanding(MoU) for the development of a new airport in Bangalore. The project, however, kept on getting postponed due to delays in government approval.

Finally on January 2001,the state government set up the Bangalore International Airport Limited(BIAL) with AAI and KSIIDC. Unique Zürich Airport, Siemens Project Ventures and Larsen & Toubro were attracted to this project and invested in it.

After a lot of government delays and other complications, the airport’s construction finally started on 2nd July 2005. It took 32 months to construct the airport and after a few minor hiccups the Bangalore International Airport was inaugurated in May 2008. The HAL airport was closed down immediately.

In 2009 the State Government sent a proposal to the Union Government to rename the airport. This proposal got accepted in 2013 and the name of the airport was changed from Bangalore International Airport to Kempegowda International Airport.

Awards & Recognition

1.Bangalore Airport was given the honour of the “Best Airport in India” at the Skytrax ‘World Airport Awards’ in 2011.

2.The airport received a ‘Gold’ rating in Leadership in Energy And Environmental Design(LEED) from Indian Green Building Council(IGBC) in 2013

3.BIAL received the prestigious “STAT Times International Award” for Cargo excellence in 2014

4.KIA was recognised as the “Best Regional Airport in Central Asia” at the Skytrax ‘World Airport Awards’ In 2015

5.Bangalore Airport won the award for “Best Regional Airport in India and Central Asia” at the Skytrax ‘World Airport Awards’ in 2017.

Interesting Facts About The Bangalore Airport

1.The HAL airport was used by the British Royal Navy to protect India from Japan during World War II.

2.Bangalore airport was the first airport in India to be developed under a “Public-Private Partnership”.

3.The airport has been named after the founder of Bangalore, Nadaprabhu Hiriya Kempe Gowda.

4.It is the busiest airport in South India and the 3rd busiest airport in India, serving more than 20 million passengers annually.

5.Terminal 1 of the airport has been designed by Global architectural leaders “HOK”.

6.Bangalore Airport will be the first airport in India to use a humanoid robot called ‘Kempa’, to assist passengers travelling to the airport.

7.Authorities are planning to make KIA a fully solar-powered airport by 2020.

8.BIAL is going to expand the airport by adding a new ‘Terminal 2’, by 2021. The construction of T2 is already underway and it is said that once this terminal is built, Bangalore airport will be able to handle 65 million passengers annually.

If you want to know about things to do at the Bangalore Airport, look no further. Download the AirWhizz app and get information about different places to eat, shop & relax at KIA along with real-time flight updates the next time you fly.

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Bangalore Airport Will Be Fully Solar-Powered By 2020!

AirWhizzJun 19, 2018 No Comments

Bangalore Airport Will Be Fully Solar-Powered By 2020!

Aviation Insider

Following Cochin Airport’s footsteps, Bangalore Airport is planning to become a fully solar-powered airport by 2020.

According to airport authorities, there is a power demand of 11 MW per day at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). Once the second terminal is completed, they estimate that the power demand will go up to 20 MW per day.

The airport currently generates around 3.44 MW from solar panels. Bangalore International Airport Limited(BIAL) has proposed an expansion of its solar panel system which will add another 8.35 MW, bringing the total to around 12 MW.

To cater to the future 20MW demand, BIAL will source another 8 MW of solar energy from off-site.

Mr. S Lakshminarayanan, Vice President (engineering & maintenance) of BIAL, has said that the solar energy at the airport is harnessed from roof-top and ground-mounted solar panels. BIAL aims to make the airport 100% powered by renewable energy by increasing this capacity and adding more solar panels.

He also said that energy conservation efforts have been taken up and implemented at the airport.

BIAL plans to convert all lighting, except the airfield lighting system, to LED for energy conservation. As of now all streetlights outside the airport and 50% of the lights in the terminal are LED. The airport can save 1.7 Million units of energy per year because of LED lights.

Mr.Hari Marar, CEO of BIAL, has said that a combination of solar power, water management system and LED lighting can ensure that the airport achieves a “3+ Carbon Rating”, which is the highest level of achievement in the field of environmental impact, for airports.

He also said that a ‘Solid Waste Management’ plant is under construction, which will be operational by 2019.This will make KIA the first airport in Asia to have an in-house solid waste management facility.

Cochin Airport is the only airport in India which is fully powered by solar energy. In fact, it was the first airport in the world to implement this system.

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Top 10 Airport Gyms In The World!

AirWhizzJun 15, 2018 No Comments

Top 10 Airport Gyms In The World!

Travel Like a Pro

When you’re waiting at the airport for your connecting flight, its easy to settle into a comfy chair with your book or laptop and munch on some snacks to kill time.

But these days, with people becoming more fitness conscious, airports and nearby transit hotels are incorporating health clubs and gyms to keep travellers fit, energetic and in good spirit.

So why not use those extra hours between flights to squeeze in a workout before a week full of meetings or to burn off that extra holiday fat.

To help you make better use of your layover, here’s a list of the top 10 airport gyms which you can visit the next time you fly to these destinations!

1.Baltimore-Washington International Airport (ROAM Fitness)

This gym offers travellers one of the most convenient workout experiences at an airport.

You can find cardio machines, free weights as well as weighted machines at the gym. The best part about this facility is that it is located after the airport security area.

To deliver a top-of-the-line fitness experience, the gym offers running shoes and workout clothes on rent. Showers are located inside the gym itself and there’s a wide range of post-workout nutrition products on display that you can choose from.

2.Dubai International Airport (G-Force Health Club)

If you’re flying through the Dubai International Airport, do visit the G-Force Health Club located in Terminal 1.

The health club gives you a world-class experience by offering you a full-size swimming pool, sauna, a jacuzzi lounge, showers and a gym.

It’s open 24 hours a day and you can avail different packages it offers, some of which include a Swedish massage.

3.Singapore Changi International Airport (Airport Wellness Oasis)

The best airport in the world offers cutting-edge fitness centers at all 3 terminals, so there is no excuse for you to skip a workout.

All three fitness centers offer state of the art facilities including free weights, exercise bikes and cross trainers.

You can relax post-workout with a nice shower and a soothing massage which is available inside.

4.Toronto Pearson International Airport (GoodLife Fitness)

A partnership between Canada’s largest fitness company and its main airport, GoodLife Fitness allows thousands of passengers to stay fit and energetic whenever they travel through Pearson.

The gym gives you the option to store your luggage and offers workout clothes and shoes.

The best part about this gym is that you get to experience a great workout while travelling without burning a hole in your pocket.

5.Munich Airport (Hilton Fit And Fly Spa)

The next time you’re passing through the Munich Airport and have some time to spare, visit the Hilton’s Fit and Fly Spa located inside the Hilton Munich Airport Hotel.

The fitness center offers travellers a 17-metre long pool, a gym with personal trainers, sauna, steam bath and a Jacuzzi.

There is also a spa which has state of the art facilities and a massage therapist on call.

6.Vancouver Airport (Fairmont Hotel Health Club)

The Fairmont Airport Hotel located inside the Vancouver International Airport offers not only luxury rooms but also a health and fitness center.

The health club has a ‘Fit & Fly’ programme for travellers who are not hotel guests and are just passing through the airport.

An ‘Economy Pass’ includes gym, sauna, showers and a pool access. Their ‘Club Pass’ includes everything an economy pass has to offer plus Reebok workout shoes and clothes.

They also have a ‘Platinum Pass’ which offers you a healthy post-workout meal, in addition to the services available in the Club Pass

7.Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (MyFitness)

This is a ‘Pop-up’ gym and is not that big, buts its convenient location within the airport makes up for that.

It is located right inside the terminal just beside the boarding gate and is available for you to use free of charge.

It has a treadmill, rowing machine, exercise bicycle and a staircase trainer, all equipped with a screen and connected to the Internet.

8.Chicago O’Hare International Airport (Hilton Athletic Club)

This Health club at the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Hotel is located right opposite the domestic terminals.

It provides travellers with an excellent opportunity to break a sweat before, after or while waiting for their flight.

In addition to the usual cardio machines, the fitness center is fully equipped with free weights which will keep serious weightlifters happy while travelling.

9.Detroit Metropolitan Airport(Westin Workout Fitness Studio)

This airport offers passengers a fantastic fitness studio equipped with treadmills, free weights and an indoor heated swimming pool.

The gym also provides its guests with a set of new shoes and workout clothes.

Apart from this they also have regular live spin classes and It’s open 24 hours a day.

10.Zurich Airport (PACE Fitness Club)

At a walking distance from the Zurich Airport, this gym is located in the basement of the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Even though it is a bit expensive, the fitness club offers a wide range of services for you to stay fit and relax after the workout.

It is spread across 2000 sqm and has a fully equipped gym with personal trainers, sauna, steam, waterbeds and Turkish Baths.

Don’t want to skip your workout the next time you fly? Simply download the AirWhizz app and get information about different fitness/Yoga centers available at the airport along with real-time flight updates on the move.

Stay fit and Fly Stress-Free!

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Regulatory Body Proposes 74% Cut In UDF At Bangalore Airport!

AirWhizzJun 14, 2018 No Comments

Regulatory Body Proposes 74% Cut In UDF At Bangalore Airport!

Aviation Insider

Passengers flying from the Bangalore Airport may soon have to pay less for their flight ticket.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has proposed a 74% cut in the User Development Fee (UDF) on both domestic and international flights.

User Development Fee is the tax that is levied on the passenger by the airport operator, to receive a fair share of return on the investment done for development of the airport.

Passengers currently pay a UDF of Rs 1226 for international flights and Rs 306 for domestic flights. AERA has proposed, that this fee should be reduced to Rs 316.8 and Rs 79.2 for international and domestic flights respectively.

AERA will conduct a stakeholder’s consultation meeting with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), various airlines and government officials on 18th June 2018.

The meeting will be held to discuss about reducing the UDF for passengers, as well as reducing the landing, parking and housing charges imposed on airlines by 90%.

Reduction of landing and parking charges will result in lower costs for airlines, a benefit they may pass on to the passengers by reducing the airfare. However, aviation experts say that this may not happen immediately due to rising oil prices.

UDF is revised every 5 years by the AERA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The fee was last revised at the Bangalore Airport in 2015 and this is the first time that the UDF is being reduced. Currently, Bangalore Airport charges the highest UDF in India.

If all the stakeholders agree to the terms proposed by AERA, the new rates will be applicable up to 31st March 2020. However, from April 2020 the UDF may increase to Rs 416.22 and Rs 104 for international and domestic flights respectively.

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Varanasi Airport To Get Facial Recognition Security System!

AirWhizzJun 12, 2018 No Comments

Varanasi Airport To Get Facial Recognition Security System!

Aviation Insider

Passengers flying from Varanasi Airport will soon experience a hassle-free journey from the airport’s entry to the boarding gate.

The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi is all set to become the first Indian airport to install an automated Facial Recognition Security System.

Here are the details of the new system being implemented –

  • Installation of the automated security system has already started at the airport.
  • The walkthrough security scanners will be equipped with facial recognition technology.
  • They will be installed at the entrance, security checkpoint and the boarding area inside the airport.
  • The system will be put into service over the next four months.
  • This system is being implemented, thanks to the ‘DigiYatra’ initiative started by the government.
  • This system will soon be implemented at airports in Vishakhapatnam and Kolkata.

These walkthrough security scanners will make entry for passengers into the Varanasi Airport faster. It will enable them to automatically check-in and travel paperless.

Once the system is in place, security checks will be done through facial recognition as soon as travellers walk through the scanner. Passenger details will be examined digitally by comparing their Aadhar information with the information given by them while booking the flight.

However, there will be no change in the way luggage is being checked.

DigiYatra is a great initiative by the government. It aims at developing a digital ecosystem to provide a smooth paperless travel experience to air passengers at every stage of their journey.

In addition to automated security system, the scheme also aims at providing real-time notifications on air traffic congestion, price trends and calculating future airfares in the coming few months.

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Singapore Airlines Will Re-Launch The World’s Longest Flight!

AirWhizzJun 02, 2018 No Comments

Singapore Airlines Will Re-Launch The World’s Longest Flight!

Aviation Insider

Singapore Airlines announced this week that they will relaunch the world’s longest flight, from Singapore to New York, in October.

Here are all the details about it –

  • The airline will fly from Singapore’s Changi International Airport to the Newark Liberty International Airport in New York.
  • The aircraft will cover a distance of 16,700 Km in 19 hours, making it the longest flight, by duration, in the world.
  • Singapore Airlines will use the long-range Airbus A350 – 900ULR for this route. The airline has ordered 7 of these airplanes with the first one arriving in September and the rest 6 by end of this year.
  • This aircraft is configured to carry 161 passengers with 67 seats in Business Class and 94 seats in Premium Economy. This flight does not have an Economy Class.
  • The airline will launch their flights on this route from 11th October 2018.

Till 2013, the airline used to regularly operate its flights to Newark Airport but had to stop owing to the rising fuel costs, which made flying their previous jets, Airbus A340 – A550, uneconomical. Since then it has flown to JFK Airport in New York via Frankfurt.

Currently, the record for the longest flight is held by Qatar Airways Flight 921 from Auckland to Doha, which takes 17 hours 40 minutes.

With no economy class on this flight, the airline is looking to tap into the premium market and wants to promote their brand amongst wealthy customers. The airline has said that they have plans of flying non-stop from Singapore to Los Angeles using the same airplane.

This decision will help Singapore Airlines fetch more revenue, since long-haul flights often make more cash than flights with more than one stop and make a mark in the highly competitive international aviation market.

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Over 100 Passengers Lost Their Lives After Airplane Crash Near Havana Airport!

AirWhizzMay 19, 2018 No Comments

A Boeing 737 airplane which belonged to Cuba’s National Airline, Cubana De Aviacion, crashed on Friday morning near the Jose Martin International Airport in Havana, taking the lives of more than 110 people onboard.

Here are the details of the incident –

  • Cubana de Aviacion flight CU972 was to depart from Havana at 11 a.m. and reach Holguin at around 12:20 p.m.
  • Shortly after take-off, the plane crashed between the Jose Martin International Airport and Santiago de Las Vegas which is near Havana.
  • The Airplane had 114 people, including the crew, onboard when the unfortunate incident happened.
  • Almost all the passengers were Cuban except 5 passengers and the crew, who were all foreign nationals.
  • According to the reports, the aircraft started losing height shortly after take-off and crashed into the woodlands near the airport.
  • Only 4 passengers, all women, survived the crash, however, one woman lost her life shortly after reaching the hospital. The other 3 women were in critical condition but are out of danger for now.
  • The Cubana aircraft was leased from a Mexican airline, Aerolineas Damojh.
  • Authorities believe that the airplane crashed because it was an old aircraft. The Boeing 737 was built in 1979, making it around 39 years old.
  • It was first flown by the US airline, Piedmont, in 1979, and had flown for many other carriers over the years.

According to witnesses present in the area during the incident, they heard a huge explosion and saw a huge cloud of smoke go up.

Firefighters rushed to crash site to put out the fire. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel visited the crash site as soon as the incident was reported. A large number of ambulances and medical workers were deployed immediately.

Cubana de Aviacion has been removing old airplanes from its fleet in recent months because of mechanical problems however they have been heavily criticized due to frequent flight delays and cancellations.

Cuba had a record of no airplane crashes for 18 years however over the past 3 years the island country has seen 4 fatal airplane accidents.

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